Plymouth Rock, a large boulder on the edge of Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, is traditionally identified as the place where the Pilgrims first stepped ashore from the Mayflower in 1620 to found Plymouth Colony. Plymouth Rock has been visited, celebrated, and written about for centuries. In 1835 Alexis de Tocqueville, a French author traveling throughout the... (Read More)
Genealogists love their ancestors—as well as the fact that important family history connections are often mentioned in recent obituaries. Have you ever noticed how common it is for these recent obituaries to describe the name of their ancestor who came over on the Mayflower ship or fought in the American Revolutionary War? Use those... (Read More)
Introduction: Mary Harrell-Sesniak is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background. In this guest blog post, Mary searches old newspapers to find the stories of women who served during some of our nation’s earlier wars—as army nurses, camp followers, and Red Cross volunteers. There are numerous groups that celebrate the lives... (Read More)
Everyone loves a rainbow. An auspicious symbol of luck, hope and promise, rainbows signify happy new beginnings. This was especially true for Albert Buckholtz, who married Laura Frances Rainbow in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1896. Details of their wedding were published in this newspaper marriage announcement. Do you have any Rainbows in your family... (Read More)
Introduction: Mary Harrell-Sesniak is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background. In this guest blog post, Mary shows how to spot spoonerisms (the accidental switching of sounds or letters in two words, often to humorous effect) and other name mistakes when searching for your ancestors in old newspapers. Creativity is essential... (Read More)
During this November week in American history a famous First Lady, a painter, and an actor died: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, American First Lady, died at 78 on 7 November 1962 Norman Perceval Rockwell, American painter, died at 84 on 8 November 1978 Terence Steven “Steve” McQueen, American actor, died at 50 on 7 November... (Read More)
This photograph was taken in March 1881 of a train passing through snow-covered Minnesota in the worst snow season ever recorded there. The snow season started with a storm in October 1880 and it just kept on snowing until March of 1881. It was one of the Midwest’s worst-ever snow seasons, with multiple blizzards... (Read More)
Introduction: Gena Philibert-Ortega is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.” In this guest blog post—just in time for Halloween celebrations tonight—Gena searches old newspapers to look at the history of Halloween costumes. What was Halloween like when you were a child? What Halloween costumes did you wear when you... (Read More)
During this October week in American history three pioneering activists died who had a big impact on American society: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, American women’s rights activist, died at 86 on 26 October 1902 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, American baseball player and civil rights activist, died at 53 on 24 October 1972 Rosa Louise McCauley... (Read More)
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